A good life for all within planetary boundaries #OnePlanet

Posted on February 7, 2018 by openseeds

Humanity faces the challenge of how to achieve a high quality of life for over 7 billion people without destabilizing critical planetary processes. Physical needs such as nutrition, sanitation, access to electricity and the elimination of extreme poverty could likely be met for all people without transgressing planetary boundaries. More Ecological Footprinting analysis shows Read more about A good life for all within planetary boundaries #OnePlanet[…]

Robotic harvesting for Vertical Aquaponics

Posted on January 26, 2018February 2, 2018 by openseeds

Been thinking about what it is that makes robot harvesting difficult. Part of the problem is picking up the cut leaves. By growing vertically that harvesting could be easier, using a relatively cheap robot arm with scissors and a bucket (above from Micropede) You’d need to move the arm around, possibly using Tslot as rails Read more about Robotic harvesting for Vertical Aquaponics[…]

Visual Fish analysis in Aquaponics

Posted on January 20, 2018January 20, 2018 by openseeds

Thinking about the ARK and how fish behaviour could be monitored. There already exists a temperature compensating feeder from Aquaponics lab. What would it look like to factor in the fish behaviour into a feeding regime? So if fish were observed using an underwater USB camera & A Pi what analysis could you run? Some useful tools Read more about Visual Fish analysis in Aquaponics[…]

Aquaponics Research Kit (ARK)

Posted on January 8, 2018February 2, 2018 by openseeds

What it is: A standardised and Open Source Aquaponics system Suitable for temperate climates. Affordable but capable of producing useful food Basic Kit £400 parts target (Ballpark £600 shipped cost) Well insulated single IBC system with media grow bed above tank Dual Airlift pump < £30 ESP Temp & EC sensor Transparent Polycarbonate inner cover Read more about Aquaponics Research Kit (ARK)[…]

Seed sowing robot

Posted on December 13, 2017February 2, 2018 by openseeds

Sowing seeds is often a pleasurable activity, it can become tedious or routine on a large scale. It seems like it should be fairly easy to automate with a vacuum and a XY rack of some kind. Or a conveyor belt system You can get commercial systems: And there is a couple of Arduino versions Read more about Seed sowing robot[…]

Phase change cloche heater

Posted on November 14, 2017February 2, 2018 by openseeds

I’ve been looking into Sodium Acetate as a long-term heat store. It’s a phase change reaction, so this heater could be warmed on your woodstove and then left in situ for weeks or months, so long as you remember to check the level now and again. This is a concept, I haven’t built it yet A Read more about Phase change cloche heater[…]

Open Source horticultural robots

Posted on November 12, 2017February 18, 2018 by openseeds

So it seems to me robotics is interesting in agriculture where the following conditions are met Uses power generated on site Reduces fossil fuel use Designs are opensource I think the best way of reducing weeds is to use mulch, either compost, or a long lasting aluminium mulch Which in a small horticultural setting basically Read more about Open Source horticultural robots[…]

Aluminium sheet mulch

Posted on November 12, 2017November 12, 2017 by openseeds

i Been pondering the sustainability of Aluminum mulches recently. You can buy disposable mulch, but that doesn’t seem very sustainable. It’s an idea that’s been around since the 1950s and some have reported increased yield and even reduced pests What if you used 2mm thick stuff that could have regularly placed holes cut? It would Read more about Aluminium sheet mulch[…]

Agroecology lab

Author: openseeds